Docking Station User Identification and Device Tracking System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Manual tracking of electronic devices at docking stations leads to loss of accountability and security concerns, as users often neglect to check in devices, resulting in unmanaged device usage and potential security breaches.
Innovation Solution
An automated system that uses a central processing unit, database, user identification station, and docking stations with electrical contacts to track and manage electronic device usage, including user identification through various methods such as NFC tags, biometric scanners, and gesture recognition, ensuring secure and efficient device allocation and tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual tracking method is used, then device storage and charging can be provided, but accountability and security are lost due to user negligence
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically identifies users through biometric scanners or NFC tags and tracks device check-out/check-in without requiring manual user action. The docking station autonomously records device status, user identity, and timestamps, eliminating reliance on user compliance with manual tracking procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of writing on forms with an automated electronic identification and tracking system using biometric scanners, NFC tags, and database management to record device usage and user accountability.
2Reliability
If automated tracking system is implemented, then accountability and security are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The docking station integrates multiple functions including device charging, user identification through multiple methods (biometric scanner, NFC tag), data storage in database, and automated tracking into a single system, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a database as an intermediary component that centralizes the storage and management of device and user data, simplifying the architecture by providing a single point of truth for tracking information rather than distributing complexity across multiple systems.
3Measurement precision
If multiple identification methods are provided, then user identification accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The user identification station is designed as a multi-functional device that incorporates biometric scanners, NFC tag readers, and database access capabilities within a single integrated unit, allowing multiple identification methods without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for identifying an electronic device user and tracking the electronic device at a docking station is provided. The system includes a CPU, a database containing data corresponding to individual device users, a user identification station, and docking stations. The CPU has access to the database and is communicatively linked to the user identification station and the docking stations. The docking stations have indicators. A device user has an identifying feature corresponding to data for the user in the database. The user identification station is configured to sense the identifying feature of the device user and send this information to the CPU. The CPU is configured to compare the information on the identifying feature to data in the database, and if matching, to instruct one of the docking stations to activate the indicator.